HIS 125: The Emergence of the Modern World

Goal: This course is designed to meet two goals: first, to provide students with an overview of the development of world civilization from the beginning of the Age of European exploration to the near present, and second, to build students’ ability to think critically about history and analyze evidence in the form of a variety of primary sources.
Content: In this course students investigate and compare the cultures, political structures, and social organizations of world civilizations in the early-modern and modern period, with particular emphasis on three major themes - 1. the changing relationship between individuals and the state; 2. distinctions and conflict based on class, ethnicity, religion, and gender; 3. how and why Europe achieved hegemony in the world during the modern era, and how this power declined in the 20th century. - By the end of this course, students shall be familiar with the major civilizations of the modern world and be able to explain the most significant developments of the period. They shall also be able to critically analyze major types of historical evidence and use that evidence to draw conclusions about the past.
Gen. Ed. Category: Exploring; Historical Events & Phenomena; (SBS/PS).
Credit: 3
Degree Level: Undergraduate